The Rings

Photo courtesy Bud Johnson

The Details

You’re engaged! You’re thrilled. You’re in love. You’re ... overwhelmed. Whether you’ve dreamed of the big day your whole life or never thought about it until the moment you said yes, the actual process of planning your wedding is uncharted territory. Let this guide be your road map — and leave the details to us.

Yay, another decision you’ll live with for the rest of your life. All jokes aside, when it comes to the ring, the days of total surprise are (mostly) long gone … and that’s a good thing. A decision this big should be made in conjunction with your partner — namely, how much you want to spend on each ring, and what you want your rings to say about the two of you and the life you share.

“Today the trend is that most engagement rings have a center stone and smaller stones on the sides, and the wedding band incorporates the same smaller stones,” says Jean Templet, manager of Levy Jewelers’ downtown Savannah location. “Most of the time brides will choose some sort of diamond band — a channel setting, or prong-set diamonds, but it matches the look of the engagement ring.”

Photo courtesy Marianne Lucille Photography

Aside from the usual diamond band, which is perfectly elegant and timeless, sapphires, emeralds and rubies can be a fresh departure and incorporate a little more personality. And in any event, creating a custom band that fits neatly underneath or around the engagement ring allows for a comfortable fit that will survive years of wear and tear, according to Templet.

As for the groom’s band, Templet says that a sturdy gold band is the most popular option among grooms, but the choice of metal should ultimately be decided based upon what is appropriate for his lifestyle. The more he uses his hands, the more durable the metal he should select for his wedding band. Alternative metals like cobalt, titanium and tungsten are tougher options for bands, but be forewarned: these metals require the wedding band be preor- dered in the groom’s specific size — they’re so hard, in fact, that they can’t be resized.